Coffee varieties — why they matter

Almost all specialty coffee is Coffea arabica. Within that there are several hundred varieties, and they matter as much as the difference between cabernet and pinot noir does in wine.

Bourbon — one of the two classic parent varieties. Sweet, round, good body, complex. Low yield, susceptible to disease.

Typica — the other original. Elegant, clean, delicate — and it yields even less.

Caturra — a natural, low-growing mutation of Bourbon from Brazil. Easier to pick, yields well, bright acidity.

Castillo / Colombia — Colombian bred varieties, developed above all for resistance to coffee leaf rust (roya). They used to be looked down on; today’s versions are excellent with good processing.

Pache — a Typica mutation from Guatemala, giving a soft, smooth cup.

Heirloom (Ethiopia) — in Ethiopia coffee grows wild, and there are so many local variants that most of the time they are not even named. That is where the floral, tea-like character comes from.

What to take away: if you really liked something, write down the variety as well as the country. It often tells you more about what to look for next time.